How to Start a Tree Removal Business

Learn how to become a semi-professional tree care service and make money removing trees

Want to start your own tree service business? 

It's a lucrative concept, as many property owners have trees that require maintenance, trimming or removal. But it's also a lot of hard work, though it can be quite rewarding.

"If I wanted to go full time I could do it in a heartbeat," says Rick, who runs Rustic Harbors, a side business where he removes customers trees and then mills them on his Woodland Mills HM130MAX Portable Sawmill.

His tree business allows him easy access to lumber which he uses in his woodworking, then he's able to sell his projects, thus profiting not only from the tree removal but also from the wood itself.

It's just one example of how sawyers and those with chainsaws and a hunger to make money are able to convert their talent and passion into becoming dedicated tree care businesses. Here's how they do it:

Starting a Tree Service Business

When Rick first got started milling lumber, he was roughing it with a chainsaw. He'd post on Facebook Marketplace and connect with clients about what tree services they needed.

When he got a portable sawmill, he was able to bring it directly to his customer's properties and mill the lumber on the spot, something that other tree care companies wouldn't do.

It's been beneficial to him, as while his customers keep most of the boards, he checks with them and keeps a few for himself, thus ensuring he has an ample supply for his own projects.

Rick works a day job as a firefighter, so this is all something he does when he's off the clock from that, but he says it's been so profitable to do part time tree service work that he could quit his job and do it full-time if he really wanted it.

What's made Rick a successful tree service business is his willingness to go to lengths for his customers, meet them at their properties and do the proper planning with them involved.

Coming up with a Business Plan

Creating your own tree service company requires planning in advance, namely you need:

• • A working business model

  • Equipment to do the job

  • Skills to do it safely

Lacking any of those means you may find yourself significantly disadvantaged when attempting to start a tree service. We're going to outline each of these steps below, but it's wise to come up with a tree service business plan before starting.

A successful business plan covers:

• • Your plan on making money

  • The types of jobs you intend on doing

  • Your expenses

    • Both capital expenses like equipment purchases and ongoing expenses like gas or business insurance premiums

  • Potential issues you could face and solutions

Write down your plans and ask others in the tree service industry to review them and provide feedback, they may have valuable insights that you won't recognize, like expenses you didn't factor in. Business management may seem like a boring part of the process but jumping in without a plan is bound to cause issues.

If you're starting this as a part-time, occasional venture and then want to ramp it up to become a full-time job, take a breath and do a business plan before moving forward, just to make sure you have a full account of your plans and what to do if anything goes wrong.

Getting down to Business

There are a few things you want to do as you get started with your business. You should ask yourself, will you be:

• • Cutting Down Trees: If so, look into what requirements you need to meet for your area, including business licenses, tree service licenses and permits. You'll also need the right equipment, like chainsaws and other cutting tools

  • Tree Trimming: This requires less planning than tree removal but you still may need proper licensing depending on your area. Get the right tools, ranging from a simple pair of pole saws and pruners to a crane for more large-scale projects

  • Stump Removal Services: Stump removal tends not to require licensing or permits, but you will still need a stump grinder to effectively remove stumps from customer's properties

  • Landscaping and Lawn Care: This tends to be offered by dedicated landscapers but that doesn't mean you can't offer this as part of a package with other tree care services

When starting a business, you may just be doing this on the side, posting ads on Facebook Marketplace. But as your business grows and you make more of your income out of it, you may need to invest in things like a business name, general liability insurance, a business bank account and more. Potentially you may even end up taking on a few guys and have to do payroll too, but let's keep things small for now.

Equipment for Tree Care

Depending on your business plans, you may require a completely different set of tools. A tree trimming business will need its own equipment separate from that of a full-scale tree service business. Here's what we recommend you have for all-around tree removal business work.

• • Tree Cutting Business: This is where you plan on cutting down and hauling away trees from a customer's property. Tree removal services are the bread and butter of tree care companies, and you'll be doing this a lot. You'll need chainsaws and wedges for cutting down trees, but also the proper safety equipment to do the job right. Some trees are precariously placed and may require climbing gear. Don't do this if you are untrained or unlicensed and follow all the best practices in the industry for your wellbeing

  • Tree Trimming Business: This is a leaner version of the tree cutting business, where instead of removing trees, you're merely helping maintain them. This means pruning branches and brush, but also potentially doing minor tree storm repair to help keep trees healthy. You'll need proper cutting tools, such as pruners, pole saws, trimming kits and shears.

• • Stump Removal Business: You've taken down the tree, now all that's left is the stump. Stump removal is great because with a heavy duty machine like a stump grinder it only takes a few minutes to do, yet not many companies offer this service. Some stump grinder owners charge a few dollars an inch or a flat fee of $100-200 per stump and easily profit from this service, provided you have the right equipment.

  • Wood Debris Removal: Own a wood chipper? Then you can help clean up loose brush, remove fallen tree branches, clean up from storms and do overall property cleanup. While some chippers require a tractor with a PTO, others are gas-powered and can easily be hauled to peoples' properties both in the remote countryside as well as in the city, allowing you to chip away customers' tree debris wherever they need it.

Have the Right Skills

Are you an arborist?

If yes, then you have a lot of the skills ready to start your tree removal business. If not, that's okay! There are lots of semi-professional tree care companies out there that offer to help out as a side hustle, and you can absolutely enter this profitable world of tree care. But with that said, you should only do something that you feel you have been properly trained to do, and definitely only perform tasks that require licensing or permits if you have all the proper credentials.

As an amateur tree service worker, there are still services you can offer:

• • Tree Trimming

  • Tree Pruning

  • Hedge Trimming

  • Wood Chipping

  • Lawn Mowing

  • General Cleanup

Having the right schooling can help improve your ability to do more tree care business in your area. Look into what training programs are available, you may be surprised to learn that these are very attainable skills that, with a few short years of practice, you can put to use to grow your tree service business.

Then you can formally start a local business to your area, form a company and maybe even take on staff to handle more clients and do a lot more tree work. Commercial clients also pay a lot more than residential clients, so there's lots of room to expand your business over time.

Start a Tree Service

When you're aiming to start a tree company, you can do it as small or as large as you want.

Own a lawn mower and a pair of hedge trimmers? That's enough to go out there and start yourself a side hustle. Once you get more training and equipment with time and new skills you can aim to make even more money with your business.

• • Looking to grow your business? Keep an eye out for:

  • Small business grants which can help afford new equipment or training

  • Education programs to improve your skillset

  • Business loans to better tackle the costs of starting a business

  • Other likeminded tree service startups, which you could potentially merge with to make an even stronger business

  • Never forget to offer excellent customer service and have a strong rapport with your community

Aim high, get the right tools and skills and get started. There's plenty of money to be made, so get out there and make it and build yourself a steady income with your tree care business.